The California Transportation Commission (CTC) today allocated $668 million to 79 transportation projects statewide. The funding includes $152 million for nine projects from Proposition 1B, a $19.9 billion transportation bond championed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) and approved by voters in 2006.

The remaining $516 million in allocations came from assorted state and federal transportation accounts, including $2.9 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“My Administration is investing billions to improve California’s transportation infrastructure and create jobs in every region of the state,” said Gov. Schwarzenegger in a written press statement. “Today’s allocations will support the state’s economy and improve the quality of life for all Californians.”

Since its passage, approximately $5.8 billion in Proposition 1B funding has been allocated. Highlights of today’s project allocations include:

Bay Area – $16.7 million in Proposition 1B funding for a project to widen State Route 4 East from four lanes to eight lanes between Somersville Road and Contra Loma Boulevard in Antioch.

Central Valley – $83 million from Proposition 1B to widen State Route 99 from four lanes to six lanes in and near Kingsburg in Fresno and Tulare counties. This project will also build four new bridges, modify 14 existing bridges, restore 40 lane miles of pavement, and construct 5,000 linear feet of soundwalls.

Orange County – $32.7 million for the installation on Metrolink of a positive train control system, which will help prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments, and reduce the possibility of a train moving on the wrong track.

Sacramento – $92 million to resurface 84 lane miles of pavement on Interstate 5 from Florin Road to the Sacramento/San Joaquin County line.

The CTC also voted to include the Colton Crossing, a rail grade separation project in San Bernardino County, in the Proposition 1B program and approved a program of 19 intercity, commuter, and urban rail projects that will receive nearly $526 million in future funding allocations. For information about these projects, please visit http://www.dot.ca.gov/docs/prop1Aprogramofrailprojects.pdf.